Chinese Europe Pharmaceutical & Food Packaging Materials Project
Project Overview
A European packaging manufacturer specializing in pharmaceutical blister packaging and food packaging required an integrated supply of aluminum foil and coated steel materials for its production facilities.
The manufacturer produced pharmaceutical blister packaging materials and small metal containers for seasoning products. Both applications demanded consistent material quality, accurate dimensions, and reliable performance during downstream processing.
For pharmaceutical packaging, 8021 aluminum foil was selected for blister packaging applications, while 8079 aluminum foil was specified for food-grade flexible laminated packaging.
For small metal containers, the manufacturer required coated steel coils suitable for printing, forming, and packaging production.
The procurement project involved strict requirements for aluminum foil pinhole control, barrier properties, coating adhesion, migration testing, and precision slitting.
A total of 110 tons of aluminum foil and coated steel materials were supplied, supporting the manufacturer’s pharmaceutical and food packaging production lines.
Project Requirements
The European packaging manufacturer required materials suitable for both pharmaceutical and food packaging applications.
The key procurement requirements included:
- Packaging Material Safety: Materials supported by documentation and testing against the specified FDA and EU 10/2011 requirements, as applicable.
- Low Pinhole Levels: Aluminum foil with controlled pinhole defects to support packaging barrier performance.
- Barrier Properties: Foil materials meeting the required moisture, oxygen, and light protection performance for their intended packaging structures.
- Coating Adhesion: Coated steel materials suitable for printing and can forming without unacceptable coating failure.
- Precision Slitting: Accurate strip widths and dimensional tolerances for automated packaging lines.
- Forming Performance: Coated steel suitable for small metal container manufacturing.
- Third-Party Inspection: Verification of barrier performance, coating adhesion, and migration testing.
The supplier needed to coordinate aluminum foil and coated steel materials with different thicknesses, widths, surface characteristics, and processing requirements.
Aluminum Foil & Coated Steel Material Supply Details
The project included four major material specifications.
| Material | Specification | Grade / Standard | Quantity |
| Pharmaceutical Aluminum Foil | 0.020 mm × 980 mm, jumbo roll | 8021 / EN 546 | 22 Tons |
| Food Laminating Aluminum Foil | 0.012 mm × 860 mm, jumbo roll | 8079 / ASTM B479* | 18 Tons |
| Food Packaging Coated Steel Coil | 0.28 mm × 914 mm, internal epoxy coating | MR / EN 10202 | 46 Tons |
| Precision-Slit Coated Steel Strip | 0.24 mm × 325 mm | DR-8 / EN 10202 | 24 Tons |
Project Material Solutions
1. 8021 Aluminum Foil for Pharmaceutical Blister Packaging
Pharmaceutical blister packaging requires materials with reliable barrier properties and controlled surface defects.
For this application, the manufacturer selected 8021 aluminum alloy foil.
The project required 22 tons of 8021 aluminum foil supplied in jumbo rolls with a thickness of 0.020 mm and width of 980 mm, according to EN 546.
8021 aluminum foil is used in various pharmaceutical packaging structures because of its formability and suitability for producing thin-gauge packaging foil.
For the European manufacturer’s production requirements, pinhole control was a critical consideration.
The supplied foil met the customer’s specified quality requirements and supported downstream pharmaceutical blister packaging production.
The material was intended for further processing within the manufacturer’s pharmaceutical packaging system.
2. 8079 Aluminum Foil for Food Laminated Packaging
The manufacturer also required aluminum foil for laminated food packaging applications.
For this purpose, 8079 aluminum alloy foil was selected.
The project included 18 tons of 8079 foil with a thickness of 0.012 mm and width of 860 mm.
8079 aluminum foil is used in flexible packaging applications where thin gauge, forming characteristics, and barrier performance are important.
When incorporated into an appropriately designed laminate, aluminum foil can contribute to protection against moisture, gases, and light.
The supplied material met the specified barrier performance requirements and supported the customer’s flexible packaging lamination and printing processes.
3. Epoxy-Coated Steel Coils for Seasoning Metal Containers
In addition to aluminum foil packaging, the manufacturer produced small metal containers for seasoning products.
The project required food packaging coated steel coils with an internal epoxy coating system.
A total of 46 tons of coated steel coils were supplied with a thickness of 0.28 mm and width of 914 mm.
The material was specified as MR grade according to EN 10202.
The internal coating was required to meet the customer’s adhesion and migration testing criteria.
The coated steel materials supported downstream printing and container forming operations.
The supplied coatings passed the required adhesion and migration tests, supporting the manufacturer’s production of small metal food containers.
4. Precision-Slit Coated Steel Strips for Can Forming
To meet the manufacturer’s forming equipment requirements, the project also included precision-slit coated steel strips.
The supplied material featured:
- Thickness: 0.24 mm
- Width: 325 mm
- Temper designation: DR-8
- Standard: EN 10202
- Quantity: 24 tons
The narrow steel strips were prepared according to the customer’s specified dimensions.
Precise width control was important for feeding material into the can forming equipment and maintaining consistent production.
The supplied strips met the project’s slitting tolerance requirements and were successfully used in the customer’s metal container production line.
Precision Slitting and Processing Support
Both aluminum foil and coated steel materials required accurate dimensional control for compatibility with automated packaging equipment.
Aluminum Foil Jumbo Roll Supply
The 8021 and 8079 aluminum foils were supplied in specified master-roll widths to support downstream processing.
The material dimensions were coordinated with the customer’s pharmaceutical and food packaging production requirements.
Coated Steel Precision Slitting
The coated steel materials required accurate width control, particularly for the 325 mm narrow strips.
The supplied materials met the manufacturer’s specified slitting tolerances.
Printing and Forming Compatibility
The coated steel products were required to withstand the customer’s printing and can forming operations.
The supplied materials demonstrated suitable processing performance, supporting the manufacturer’s metal packaging production requirements.
Quality Control and Third-Party Testing
Quality verification was a key requirement because the supplied materials were intended for pharmaceutical and food packaging applications.
The project involved third-party inspections covering aluminum foil performance, coated steel properties, and migration testing.
Aluminum Foil Barrier Performance
The supplied aluminum foil materials passed the specified barrier performance testing.
Pinhole control formed part of the foil quality requirements, supporting the customer’s packaging production process.
Coating Adhesion Testing
The coated steel materials underwent coating adhesion testing.
The test results met the project’s acceptance requirements and supported subsequent printing and forming operations.
Migration Testing
The project required migration testing to support the customer’s specified food and pharmaceutical packaging material requirements.
The supplied material systems passed the required third-party migration tests under the project’s specified test conditions.
Dimensional Accuracy Verification
The slit materials were inspected against the required width and dimensional tolerances.
The results satisfied the customer’s precision slitting requirements and supported automated production compatibility.
Project Results
The integrated aluminum foil and coated steel supply successfully supported the European packaging manufacturer’s production requirements.
The project achieved the following results:
- Qualified Aluminum Foil Barrier Performance: The supplied foil passed third-party barrier testing.
- Reliable Coating Adhesion: Coated steel materials met the specified coating adhesion requirements.
- Successful Migration Testing: The relevant packaging material systems passed the project’s third-party migration tests.
- Accurate Slitting Tolerances: Aluminum foil and coated steel dimensions met the customer’s processing requirements.
- Production Line Compatibility: The supplied materials were successfully processed through the manufacturer’s lamination, printing, and can forming equipment.
- Successful Packaging Applications: The materials were used in pharmaceutical blister packaging and seasoning metal packaging products.
The project demonstrated the supplier’s ability to coordinate different aluminum and steel packaging materials for multiple downstream manufacturing processes.
Project Value Delivered
The European pharmaceutical and food packaging project highlights the importance of precise dimensional control, material consistency, and reliable quality documentation in packaging manufacturing.
Integrated Aluminum Foil and Coated Steel Procurement
The customer sourced different specifications of pharmaceutical foil, food laminating foil, and coated steel materials through one coordinated procurement package.
Support for High-Quality Packaging Production
The supplied materials met the required foil barrier and coated steel adhesion criteria.
Precision Processing Compatibility
Accurate material dimensions supported the manufacturer’s lamination, printing, and metal forming production lines.
Third-Party Quality Verification
Barrier performance, coating adhesion, and migration testing provided documentation supporting the customer’s packaging material acceptance procedures.
Reliable End-Use Performance
The materials were successfully incorporated into the manufacturer’s pharmaceutical blister and food packaging products.
Aluminum Foil and Coated Steel Solutions for Packaging Manufacturers
We supply aluminum foil and coated steel materials for pharmaceutical packaging, food packaging, and industrial metal container production.
Our supply portfolio includes:
- 8021 pharmaceutical aluminum foil
- 8079 aluminum foil for flexible food packaging
- Aluminum foil jumbo rolls
- Food packaging coated steel coils
- Precision-slit coated steel strips
- MR grade and DR temper steel materials
- Material testing documentation and quality inspection support
- Customized material dimensions for packaging production lines
Our materials support pharmaceutical blister packaging, flexible food packaging, laminated packaging structures, printed metal containers, and small food can manufacturing.
Looking for reliable aluminum foil or coated steel materials for your packaging production?
Contact our team with your required alloy or steel grade, thickness, width, coating system, testing requirements, and procurement quantity to discuss a customized packaging material supply solution.
